Quick-opening stuffing box



Mam}! 1966 B. 1'. THOMPSON, JR, ETAL 3,241,213

QUICK-OPENING STUFFING BOX Filed Jan. 13, 1964 INVENTORS B.T. THOMPSON,JR.

C. C. LETSON ATTORNk United States Patent 3,241,213 QUICK-OPENING STUFFING BOX Byrd '1. Thompson, Jr., Decatur, and Clifford C. Letson, Courtland, Ala., assignors to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 337,453 Claims. (Cl. 28-1) This invention relates to outboard bearing crimpers and more particularly to quick-opening stufiing boxes therefor.

The outboard bearing crimpers, referred to herein, are the type which have a support bearing mounted at each end of the roll shaft as distinguishedv from the cantilever type crimper. Accordingly, the stutter box on the outboard bearing type crimpers is not always located so that the operator has easy access thereto.

In the operation of stuffer box crimpers occasionally there is a need to open the stulfer box and remove particles of loose fiber. Otherwise, these loose particles will damage the tow being fed through the stuffer box. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a stulfer box having a doctor blade and support plate that may be removed quickly by the operator and replaced quickly after the cleaning operation has been completed.

The conventional stutter boxes of outboard bearing type crimpers have presented a problem in the past when cleaning because the front doctor blade, and support plate, which functions also as a cover plate to the stuffer box is secured by a plurality of socket headed screws, usually four. The removal of this plate, and. subsequent replacement thereof, is tedious and time consuming. Moreover, the operation requires the services of a skilled mechanic since the doctor blade must be fitted again to the roll at a given set clearance with the aid of a feeler gauge or the like and is obviously objectionable. Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a simple, quick-opening stuffing box which can be opened, cleaned out, closed and readjusted by unskilled mechanics in a few minutes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple quick-opening stulfer box having an improved clapper bar socketed therein.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the drawing and the description thereof which follows.

In the drawing, illustrative of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a quick-opening stuffer box associated with a roll of an outboard bearing type crimper.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the invention taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the invention disassembled, further illustrating the quick-removal aspect thereof.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates a stuffer box of simple construction comprising a back or lower doctor blade and support plate having a pair of side plates spaced apart and attached thereto forming a passageway for the tow. A stop member is affixed to each of the side plates to aid in positioning a front or upper doctor blade a proper distance from the corresponding crimper roll without the use of precision instruments. The removable doctor blade support plate is slotted on each side to accommodate a pair of rotatably mounted studs which may be swung into and out of the slots quickly for the removal and replacement of the front doctor blade, whereupon the stuffer box is made accessible for cleaning. A clapper arm, which is swingably attached to the doctor blade, is removed therewith as a unit.

In accordance with the present invention the stulfer box is initially installed by a skilled mechanic. The doctor blades must be adjusted and fitted to the rolls at a proper set clearance with the aid of a feeler gauge or the like by some one possessing a high degree of skill to insure that the crimper functions properly. Thereafter, the back doctor blade remains stationary while the front doctor blade may be removed to permit cleaning, and replaced against the pre-set stops by the operator. Thus the doctor blade is positioned each time withou a readjustment thereof, as has been required in the past, to in sure that the desired set clearance between the blade and roll is maintained.

The apparatus disclosed by the drawing illustrates the novel features of the present invention comprising a back or lower doctor blade 11 mounted onto a base 12 of a conventional outboard bearing type crimper, partially shown. The extended sides or support plate 13 of doctor blade 11 are provided with holes 14, elongated, to permit adjustment of the doctor blade in relation to roll 15 when socket headed screws 16 are not drawn down tightly. A pair of rectangular shaped side plates 20 and 21 are spaced apart and fastened by socket headed screws 22 to the back blade 11 to form a space 23 therebetween. Each side plate is provided. with a pair of countersunk holes 24, elongated, to allow limited movement thereof for the purpose of making the initial adjustment of a front or upper doctor blade 25 in relation to roll 17. The

doctor blade support plate 25 is provided with a pair of holes 29 to permit access to screws 22.

Elongated rectangular stop members 26 and 27 are welded to side plates 20 and 21, respectively, near one end on the edge opposite doctor blade 11 and lying trans versely thereto. Stop members 26 and 27 are so arranged that an edge of the front or upper doctor blade support plate 25 abuts against the stops when the doctor blade, which also functions as a cover plate to form a crimping chamber 28, is positioned against side plates 20 and 21. A pair of lugs 30 and 31 having threaded wing bolts 32 and 33 rotatably mounted therein are located on the outside edge of each side plate.

The front doctor blade support plate 25 is slotted. at 34 on both sides to match up with the swing studs 32 and 33 when the said studs are in an upright position. Wing nuts 35 and 36 hold the doctor blade 25 in position when tightened snugly. A clapper bar 40 having one end enlarged is swingably mounted in doctor blade 25 near the blade edge thereof. The enlarged end 41 is socketed therein and retained by a knurled edge 42. A pneumati cally operated chamber and plunger 43 is mounted to doctor plate 25 at 44 for actuating the clapper bar.

In practicing the present invention the back doctor blade 11 is secured in operating position to support plate 12 by socket headed screws 16 and remains stationary therewith. The front doctor blade, which. must be removed occasionally to clean the stuffer box, is held in closed position by Wing nuts 35 and 36. When it becomes necessary to clean the stuffer box, the wing nuts may be loosened quickly and studs 32 and 33 swung out of contact with the doctor blade to allow removal thereof. After the necessary cleaning has been completed the doctor plate may be replaced in a simple and expedious manner by placing the appropriate edge of the doctor blade 25 against adjustment stops 26 and. 27, swinging studs 32 and 33 into slots 34, and thumb tightening wing nuts 35 and 36.

The drawing and the description thereof is intended to be illustrative only and various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A quick-opening stuffing box comprising a first doctor blade and a second doctor blade, said first doctor blade being stationary, and said second doctor blade being removably attached to said first doctor blade by a 3 pair of swingably mounted bolts, means for spacing said blades apart, and means associated with said first blade for limiting movement in one direction of said second blade whereby said second blade is quickly mounted, in a predetermined position.

2. A quick-opening stuffing box comprising a first doctor blade, a pair of rectangular members mounted on one side of said first doctor blade and apart thereon, stop means associated with said rectangular members, a second doctor blade positioned against said stop means and a pair of bolts swingably mounted on said rectangular members for connecting said second doctor blade to said first doctor blade to form a chamber therebetween.

3. A quick-opening stuffing box for outboard bearing crimpers comprising a pair of doctor blades spaced apart by a pair of rectangular members having stop means thereon for positioning one of said doctor blades in a predetermined position, said one doctor blade being slotted on each side thereof, and a pair of swingably mounted bolts associated therewith for connecting said one blade to said other blade.

4. A quick-opening stufiing box for outboard bearing type crimpers as described in claim 3 wherein the stop means comprises a pair of elongated rectangular shaped members.

5. A quick-opening stuffing box used in combination with outboard bearing type crimpers, comprising a pair of doctor blades associated with a pair of crimper rolls, said blades being separated by a pair of rectangular side plates mounted on one of said blades and spaced apart thereon to form a crimping chamber, a rectangular stop member fixed to each said side plate near one end thereof, said stop members being arranged to position the other blade a predetermined distance from the roll, said other blade being slotted on each side thereof, a pair of Wing bolts mounted on said side plates and extending radially therefrom, said bolts being swingable into and out of said slots for quick removal of said slotted blade, and Wing nuts mounted thereon for connecting the doctor blades together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,865,080 12/1958 Hentschel 28-72 2,917,784 12/1959 Spence et a1. 28-72 2,917,785 12/1959 Gibson 19-66 2,933,771 4/1960 Weinstock 19-66 3,027,619 4/1962 List et a1. 28-1 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A QUICK-OPENING STUFFING BOX COMPRISING A FIRST DOCTOR BLADE AND A SECOND DOCTOR BLADE, SAID FIRST DOCTOR BLADE BEING STATIONARY, AND SAID SECOND DOCTOR BLADE BEING REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST DOCTOR BLADE BY A PAIR OF SWINGABLY MOUNTED BOLTS, MEANS FOR SPACING SAID BLADES APART, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST BLADE FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION OF SAID SECOND BLADE WHEREBY SAID SECOND BLADE IS QUICKLY MOUNTED IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION. 